ST. LOUIS — Saint Louis Public Schools said it could not provide transportation for students participating in after-school sports Monday, citing absentee bus drivers.
According to a statement from the school district's transportation director, a "significant number of Missouri Central bus drivers are absent from work," which impacted the district's ability to continue normal transportation operations for extracurricular activities Monday.
The director said it sought alternative options for families who faced economic hardship because of the transportation issue. Families expected more communication about these options late Monday.
Any parents whose students planned on participating in afterschool activities were asked to arrange alternative transportation.
"We understand the importance of these activities for our students, and we encourage you to reach out to your specific coaches to determine if your student's practice or game is still scheduled to proceed. If it is, please make alternative transportation arrangements for your students to ensure they can participate. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you and your family. Our team is working diligently to address this issue and ensure that transportation services are restored as soon as possible," the transportation director said in a statement on the district's website.
Back in August of 2023, the district's communications director said it had the exact number of drivers it needed for routes; however, its goal was to hire about 20 more school bus drivers. This came after the district temporarily suspended routes the previous year over another shortage.
The circumstances that led to the significant number of absentee school bus drivers remained unclear.
There was no further information provided regarding whether the issue would impact transportation for the remainder of the week.